There can be few worse feelings in football for a player than scoring an own goal. Whether it comes as a result of a last-ditch attempt to clear the ball, a desperate effort to make a block, plain bad luck, or an absolute howler, any footballer scoring an own goal is sure to want to wish the ground would open up and make them disappear.
The truth is, though, that own goals are part and parcel of football and, especially for defenders and perhaps even goalkeepers too, they are an unavoidable aspect of the game. When an awkward cross comes in, a defender has a choice: do nothing and see the ball fall perfectly for an onrushing attacker, or hurl themselves at it and hope they can somehow deflect it wide, knowing that they are risking an OG.
Of course, some footballers, though probably not too many who play at the back, may easily go their whole career without scoring an own goal. Others, however, as we will see, are rather plagued by them. But just who has scored the most own goals in the Premier League?
Which Players Have Scored the Most Own Goals in Premier League History?
This is very much an unwanted record and an unwelcome piece of history but, for now at least, one man is rather a long way out in front when it comes to own goals in the Premier League. That man is Irish centre back, Richard Dunne.
Just to be clear, the stats that follow refer to the Premier League era only, so beginning with the 1992/93 campaign. Dunne, who played 431 times in the Premier League, is just about in credit in terms of goals. He scored a record 10 own goals but did at least manage to cancel those out –and then some – with 11 goals at the other end. And, let us not forget his huge haul of five assists!
Dunne played for Everton, Manchester City, Aston Villa and QPR in the Premier League. He was an all-or-nothing, full-blooded, no-nonsense sort of player – in other words, an old-fashioned centre half. That is something he has in common with many of the players to have racked up their share of own goals in the top flight, which to a large degree shows how they come with the territory.
Three Players Tied on Seven Own Goals
Whilst Dunne is going to take some catching with 10 own goals, we have three players tied in second on seven apiece. There must be something in the air in the North West, because behind former Everton and Man City player Dunne we have two former Liverpool players and another who made his name at Everton. Let’s start with the Toffee …
Phil Jagielka – 7 Own Goals
Jagielka was a true Toffee stalwart, much loved by Everton fans, not least for this screamer against Liverpool. He did, however, score seven Premier League goals at the wrong end of the pitch as well.
The former Sheffield United and England player – he played 40 times for the Three Lions – made fewer PL appearances than Dunne, somewhat surprisingly. He did, though, score far more, at least in relative terms, for the right side than Dunne, bagging 18 PL goals and nine assists to boot.
Jamie Carragher – 7 Own Goals
Carragher is the first player on our list to be very much in negative equity, so to speak. He might like to talk the talk on Sky these days but, sadly for the boyhood Everton fan, his seven own goals very much outweigh the three he managed to score in Liverpool’s favour. With his pundit’s hat on, no doubt the former Liverpool icon and one-club man will point to the 15 assists he boasts but on goals alone, his personal GD stands at a very unhealthy -4!
Carragher made a mammoth 508 PL appearances in a Reds career that stretched from 1994/95 (although his full league debut was not until 1996/97) until retirement after the 2012/13 campaign. Official Premier League stats tell us he made 1,598 clearances in that time but it is the seven own goals that count here!
Martin Škrtel – 7 Own Goals
Another former Liverpool player completes the list of Premier League footballers with seven or more own goals. Slovakian Škrtel played alongside Carragher for many seasons, perhaps forming the greatest own-goal centre-back partnership in football history! Unlike Carragher, however, Skrtel was a real threat at the other end of the pitch, and his 16 goals from 242 PL appearances is not a bad haul at all for a centre half.
On the downside, however, with an own goal every 34.6 PL games, Škrtel has the “best”, which is to say worst, games per own goal record of any of the players on our list. He very much fits our mould in terms of being a physical, all-action, old-school defender, and his aggression helped the Reds to many trophies during his time on Merseyside.
Players with 6 Own Goals in the Premier League
There are a substantial number of footballers tied on six Premier League own goals, with some of these still active. The complete list at the time of writing (8 May 2024) is:
- Wes Brown
- Séamus Coleman
- Lewis Dunk
- Jonny Evans
- Ryan Shawcross
- Frank Sinclair
That list includes another Everton player, in the shape of Coleman, who is still playing for the Toffees. It also includes two footballers to have turned out for Man United, Jonny Evans and Wes Brown. Whilst three of these players – Coleman, Evans and Dunk – are still plying their trade in the top flight, Lewis Dunk seems the most likely to add to his tally.
The Brighton man is the youngest of the trio by some distance, and will not turn 33 until November 2024. Whether he can stick around long enough to challenge Dunne’s double-digit haul of own goals is doubtful but having said that, the England international managed four in the 2017/18 season alone! We don’t think he will repeat that but even so, we suspect there is certainly every chance he will add another one or two unwanted OGs to his stats profile before hanging up his boots.